


Anchor

by wintershelter



Series: Here For You [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Background Relationships, Gen, Jace Wayland Deserves Nice Things, Parabatai Feels, Past Abuse, Post-Episode: s02e20 Beside Still Water
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-20
Updated: 2017-09-20
Packaged: 2019-01-01 02:06:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12146319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wintershelter/pseuds/wintershelter
Summary: Jace and Alec find time to have a much needed talk. Alec reminds Jace he always has people in his corner.





	Anchor

**Author's Note:**

> This is now a series because people telling Jace how loved he is is apparently my thing.

Alec walked into the Institute, cup of coffee in hand a smile on his face. Magnus and him had patched things up last night. They'd stayed up half the night talking about what they wanted from their relationship and had come out stronger for it.

Alec was walking past the training room when he saw one lone occupant hitting one of the punching bags.

“Jace?” Alec asked, walking into the room. “What are you doing here?”

Jace looked up at him through sweaty bangs and gave him a cocky smile. “Training.”

Alec resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “I can see that, but it's six in the morning.”

Jace gave Alec a shrug. “Couldn't sleep.”

Alec frowned at that, but before he could comment on it, Jace was asking him a question.

“So, how are you and Magnus?” Jace asked with a smirk. “Izzy says she saw you both sneak out of the party early together.”

Alec felt a smile creep onto his face at the mere mention of Magnus. “Yeah, things are good. We, uh... We talked a lot last night and, we're good. Better than that, even.”

Jace patted Alec's upper arm. “That's good to hear. I'm happy for you, bud.”

“Thanks.” Alec said. “And you and Clary, huh? You finally worked that out too.”

Jace wiped some sweat off his brow. “More or less.”

Alec's smile faltered off his face at the nonchalant answer. “Jace, I- Are you good?”

“Yeah.” Jace confirmed, but Alec still felt worry gnawing in his gut, bleeding over from the clusterfuck of the last few days.

“Right. It's just when you were at Lake Lyn, I was so sure I lost you. I felt our bond just... It felt like you were gone Jace.”

“Hey,” Jace said, reaching a hand up to Alec's face. “I'm right here.”

Alec nodded, setting down his coffee cup on the table before pulling Jace in for a hug. Alec buried his face in Jace's shoulder. “I don't know what'd I do if I ever lost you, Jace.”

Jace said nothing, instead just clutching the back of Alec's shirt, holding onto him like his life depended on it.

Alec felt how tight Jace's grip was on him. Alec was holding Jace just as fiercely, needing to feel Jace's breath and beating heart against him to keep him grounded. He was so sure he had lost him yesterday. He was so sure he would never feel Jace's warmth, see his cocksure smile, or hear his laugh ever again. Yet despite having Jace here in his arms, he still couldn't shake the fear that something was horribly wrong.

He had been so happy to see both Jace and Clary alive that he hadn't really questioned it. Hadn't questioned what had happened that night in favor of the sheer unbridled relief he had at seeing his  _parabatai_ alive and unharmed.

“Jace, what happened with Valentine?”

Jace stiffened in his arms. “It doesn't matter.” He mumbled against Alec's shoulder.

Alec pulled back at that, hands still holding onto Jace's arms. “Jace...” Alec started but Jace just shook his head.

“I don't remember a lot. I was out for most of it. Clary was the one who did it... Killed Valentine and stopped the Angel.”

Alec knew there was more to it, but he wouldn't press Jace about this. It pained him to think about what Valentine had done to Jace. That monster had raised him as his son for years and held him captive and tortured him only a few weeks prior. The scars of that were still visible and apparent. Jace found it hard to talk about his feelings half the time and to witness the death of his long-time abuser probably brought up a lot of emotions in him.

Alec gave Jace a small smile. “Okay. If you ever need to talk or... just spar or something, you know where to find me.”

Jace quirked an eyebrow. “Yeah, at Magnus's apartment.”

Alec put his hands up in surrender, because it was true. Before their big fight, Alec had all but moved into Magnus's loft. It had been a lonely few nights at the Institute after their fight, sleeping in a bed that felt much too big without Magnus in it.

“Well, the offer stands.” Alec said.

“I don't think Magnus would appreciate me barging into his apartment unannounced.” Jace reasoned.

“Yeah, I'd definitely try not to barge in unannounced, but we'd love to have you by.”

Jace snorted. “We? We are talking about you and Magnus, right?”

“Yes.” Alec said, rolling his eyes exasperatedly before turning serious. “You know, when Magnus portaled us to Lake Lyn and saw the Angel was raised, he was more concerned about finding you and Clary than getting himself to safety.”

“Oh.” Jace said, looking oddly touched by that sentiment.

“You always have people in your corner, Jace.”

Jace's lips lifted up a touch. “I'm starting to get that.”

Alec nodded, feeling like he had finally gotten something through Jace's thick skull. “You should try and get some rest. We'll be running patrols to track down the rest of Valentine's supporters in the next few days.”

Jace gave him a two fingered salute. “Got it, Mr. Institute Head.”

Alec rolled his eyes in amusement. “Sometimes I feel like you only gave this position so you can call me that incessantly.”

Jace gave him an innocent shrug, but the smirk on his face belayed his own amusement. “You'll never know.”

Alec shook his head at Jace's antics. “I'm serious though, I don't want to see you in the training room until after lunch today.”

Jace raised an eyebrow. “Is that a threat?”

“I could always put you on paperwork duty with me for the rest of the day. I have a huge pile in my office just waiting for you.”

Alec smirked as he saw Jace wince, knowing he had won this argument. Jace hated paperwork with the strength of a thousand suns.

“No thanks.” Jace said, shaking his head.

Alec studied Jace for a moment before putting his hand on his shoulder. “Go relax. You deserve it, okay?”

Jace gave him a nod. “All right.”

Alec went to turn away to go conquer said mountain of paperwork, but before he did, Jace was speaking again.

“Thank you.” Jace said quickly, the words rushing out in one breath.

“Anytime, _parabatai_.” Alec said fondly.

Jace didn't say anything else, instead turning to grab his equipment to go put it away.

Alec watched him go. He knew something was not right with Jace, but he knew his brother and he would tell him what was wrong in his own time. Alec had just wanted him to know that the door was open, especially after the events of the last few days.

Alec took a sip of his coffee and headed out into the hallway, starting towards his office. He knew he had a long day ahead of him but with him and Magnus on good terms and his slightly reassuring talk with Jace, he knew he was up to the task.

 


End file.
